Paris is always a good idea. ~Audrey Hepburn

Great News for Military Families: Spouse Residency Relief Act

This may not be a big deal to some spouses but in our family it is! The Military Spouse Residency Relief Act was passed by Congress last week and is awaiting the President's signature. Every time we move, I have to claim residency wherever we live, pay taxes, vote, etc while my husband continues to claim Texas (which has no income tax). This is a pain especially with taxes since I have to fill out a state form wherever we reside. Here's the press release:

Washington, DC –Tuesday, November 3, 2009. A comprehensive military family legislation, the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (S 475 and HR 1182), which will legally recognize military spouses by providing them the option to claim the same state of domicile as their active duty spouse, passed through the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support, and is now being brought before the President to become a law.

The bill was introduced by Congressman John Carter (R-TX), who represents Fort Hood, the largest military installation in the country. “This is fantastic news for our service families worldwide,” says Carter, who has been pushing the legislation for the last three years.

Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the companion bill into the Senate, which passed unanimously in August. The legislation will amend the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act (SCRA) of 1940 allowing military spouses to share a home state with their spouse, the service member.